Dow Ends Within 50 Points of 20,000 in 17th Record Close Since US Election

Receive the latest national-international updates in your inbox

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Dec. 19, 2016, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average hovering just under 20,000 points.

Stocks rose on Tuesday, led by financials, while the Dow Jones industrial average kept marching toward 20,000, but never hitting the major milestone.

At session highs, the blue-chips index came within 13 points of hitting the milestone mark, before closing 90 points higher, after hitting a new intraday high, with Goldman Sachs contributing the most gains, as CNBC reports. The Dow also ended within 50 points of 20,000.

Since Nov. 8, the Dow has surged more than 8 percent and has posted 17 record closes.

U.S. equities were trading higher as investors remained unfazed by geopolitical tensions involving Germany, Turkey and Russia.